The Prodigal of Father Time
by Captain Kork
Summary: Barry never expected how much of an impact saving his mother would have on every aspect of his life. WestAllen


**Ayye another tiny fic thing. I wrote this in response to asshole mutuals putting rude/sad things on my dash after the release of the Flash promo today tbqh. **

**So, normally I'm the type of person who does 5 hours of research for a 500 word story, but this time I really didn't feel like it so I kind of said screw science, science fiction, and Flash comic science and just wrote this the way I wanted it. So warning about that. Most of this is purely for dramatic effect. Enjoy~**

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Time stumbled to a stop along with Barry as he skidded into the park. He realized he had appeared back in his time at the same place he had said goodbye to Iris hours before. The kiss they had shared surfaced in his mind. It was everything that he had ever imagined and at the time- it had hurt. He had just needed to know that she was there. He wanted one last chance to be close with her before he told her the truth and changed everything. He had practically melted when she kissed him back, time settling into an easy rhythm that he had thought lost since he had developed super speed.

God, it felt like a different time.

Then again, maybe it was.

Though he had just returned from his life altering (literally) trip to the past, there were no obvious changes to Central City. Cars were still honking obnoxiously in the distance, the skyscrapers loomed overhead with a distinct lack of zeppelins (he was almost disappointed at that), and everything seemed exactly the same as it was before.

Barry felt lost and accomplished all at once. He had succeeded at saving his mother- she was _alive_. All of those years of heartache and anger and staying up until 3am crying his eyes out with only Iris there to try in vain to make it better, no longer happened to pretty much everyone but him.

Which brought him to another point, Iris. With his mother there, their whole history would be changed. All of his reasons for never telling her the truth about his feelings were gone. With his mother alive, there was nothing holding them back anymore- nothing holding _him_ back anymore from living his life.

Would he have kissed her sooner? Would he have confessed before his coma? In college? In high school? Would they have had years spent together as more than just best friends?

Conflicting emotions built inside of him, ready to burst at any moment as all of the possibilities were whirling around him like a snowstorm. It was all he could do to stay standing. He didn't know where to go from there, so unsure of what he would find in this new world but excited all the same. He was sure that this world had to be better than the one before- his mother was alive in this one!

Surprisingly, the backpack that contained his civilian clothes was still nestled in the roots of one of the trees. It was strange but Barry figured he would be able to ask Dr. Wells about it later. He changed in an instance and spent several moments wrestling with what to do next, who to visit first.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw her. Iris sat upon a bench not far from his tree, intently reading something (most likely her blog) on her phone. A smile spread across Barry's face almost immediately and suddenly he felt lighter than air. Within a second his mind was set and he started to walk over to her, nearly skipping with glee.

"Iris!" he called out as he neared her. She looked up in surprise and a confused expression flickered across her face when they locked eyes. The speedster faltered just barely as a nauseous, anxious feeling started in his stomach. Something was wrong.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Iris asked, looking earnest and polite. Barry felt his shoulders fall. "Sorry! You look really familiar- have we met before?" Her tone was apologetic but that almost made it worse. He felt as if he had been punched in the chest and the wind had been knocked out of him. Vaguely he heard her ask if he was okay but he couldn't bring himself to say anything as the world seemed to sway around him. The only thing he was aware of was the way the earth turned beneath his feet and the fact that despite the kindness in Iris's eyes, there was no recognition, no _warmth_, when she looked at him.

Everything was wrong and Barry couldn't breathe. Iris didn't recognize him. Iris didn't know who he was. _Iris didn't know him._

So he did the only thing he could think of, he ran.


End file.
